Chapter Two
The following evening, Dakota was halfway through reorganizing his sock drawer when someone knocked. He dropped the balled-up pair he was holding and crossed to the door, knowing who it would be. As he pulled it open, his pulse kicked up three notches.
Kivani stood there in a dark green henley that somehow made his eyes look even warmer. He had his hands in his pockets, and his hair was slightly damp like he’d just showered.
“Hey,” Kivani said. “You have dinner plans?”
Dakota glanced back at his apartment, at the sad granola bar sitting on his counter. “Not really.”
“Want to grab something? There’s a diner a few blocks over. Hash It Out. Nothing fancy, but the food's good.”
Dakota should say no. He should make up an excuse about being tired or having work to do. Instead, he heard himself say, “Sure, that sounds good.”
“Great.” Kivani’s smile did that thing again where it made Dakota’s stomach feel like it was full of butterflies. “Ready now, or you need a few minutes?”
So much for keeping my head down and not complicating things with Kivani. One day Dakota might actually listen to himself.
“Now’s fine.” He grabbed his jacket from the hook by the door and slipped his phone into his pocket, then followed Kivani down the stairs and out onto the street.
The evening air was cool, carrying the smell of someone's wood-burning fireplace. Dakota wrapped his jacket tighter around himself and walked beside Kivani, hyperaware of the space between them. Their arms almost touched with each step.
“So you've been here two weeks and haven’t explored much?” Kivani asked.
“Not really. Mostly just staying in, getting settled.” And staying out of sight. Which he should be doing now. “I’m not great at the whole exploring-new-places thing.”
“That’s fair. It can be overwhelming.”
“Do you eat out a lot?” Dakota bit his lip, realizing how that sounded. “I mean, like, at restaurants. Do you go to restaurants a lot?”
Kivani laughed, and the sound made Dakota’s face burn. “I knew what you meant. And yeah, pretty often. I get tired of cooking after spending all day making candy.”
They turned a corner, and Dakota could see the diner up ahead. Its neon sign flickered red and blue, advertising breakfast served all day. The windows glowed warm yellow, and Dakota could see people inside sitting in booths.
Kivani held the door open, and Dakota slipped past him into the diner. The smell of fried food and coffee hit him immediately. A waiter with dark hair looked up from behind the counter.
“Kivani,” he called out. “Your usual booth's open.”
“Thanks, Jace.”
Dakota followed Kivani to a booth near the back, sliding into the cracked vinyl seat across from him. The table was small, their knees almost touching underneath. A laminated menu sat propped between the salt and pepper shakers.
“Jace has worked here for a few years,” Kivani said, handing Dakota one of the menus. “He knows everyone’s order by heart.”
Dakota opened the menu and scanned the options. Burgers, sandwiches, breakfast plates, a few salads that looked like afterthoughts. His stomach growled, reminding him he’d only eaten that granola bar and some taffy today.
Jace appeared at their table with two glasses of water. “What'll it be, guys?”
“Bacon cheeseburger, fries, extra pickles,” Kivani said without looking at the menu.
Jace turned to Dakota, his pen poised over his notepad. “And for you?”
“Um, the grilled chicken salad?” Dakota handed back the menu.
“Dressing?”
“Ranch is fine.”
Jace scribbled on his pad and walked away, leaving them alone in the booth. Dakota took a sip of water and watched Kivani over the rim of his glass. The lighting in here was softer than in the taffy shop, casting shadows across Kivani’s features.
“So,” Kivani said, leaning back against the booth, “tell me about yourself. What do you do for work?”
“Freelance stuff. Computer programming, mostly. Web design sometimes.” Dakota set his glass down and traced a finger through the condensation. “It’s boring.”
“I doubt that. Sounds complicated.”
“It’s just following patterns. Once you understand the logic, it’s pretty straightforward.
” Dakota looked up and found Kivani watching him with that focused attention that made him feel seen in a way that was both thrilling and terrifying.
“What about you? Is it just the taffy shop, or do you do other things?”
“Just the shop. It keeps me busy enough.” Kivani’s fingers drummed against the table. “I used to have other hobbies, but they fell away. The shop takes up most of my time.”
“Don’t you get lonely? Just working by yourself all day?”
Kivani’s expression softened, something thoughtful crossing his features. “Sometimes. But I also like the solitude. Gives me time to think.”
Jace returned with their food, setting the plates down with practiced efficiency. Dakota stared at his salad—crisp lettuce, juicy cherry tomatoes, and plenty of grilled chicken. Across from him, Kivani’s burger was massive, juice already running down the sides, fries piled high beside it.
“That looks really good,” Dakota said, eyeing the burger.
“Want to split it? I can get Jace to bring another plate.”
“No, no, I’m good.” Dakota speared a piece of lettuce with his fork. “I’m just surprised, I guess.”
“Surprised?”
Dakota gestured at Kivani with his fork, trying not to be obvious about looking at his arms, his shoulders, the way his shirt fit across his torso. “You’re so... I mean, you look like you eat clean. Meal prep and protein shakes and all that. But you’re ordering bacon cheeseburgers.”
Kivani picked up his burger and took a huge bite, chewing slowly before answering. “I don’t really believe in restricting food. Life’s too short to not eat what you want.”
“Then how do you...” Dakota trailed off, realizing how rude the question was. “Sorry, that’s totally inappropriate.”
“How do I look like this and eat like this?” Kivani finished for him. He didn’t sound offended, just amused. “I work with my hands all day. Pulling taffy is a full-body workout. Plus I walk everywhere. No gym required.”
“All natural, huh?”
“All natural.” Kivani took another bite, and Dakota watched his throat move as he swallowed. “I’ve never set foot in a gym. Seems boring.”
Dakota pushed his lettuce around his plate, suddenly regretting his order. The salad tasted delicious, and the ranch dressing only made it taste better, but he really wanted that burger. He took a long drink of water and tried not to stare at Kivani’s fries.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it and took another bite of his salad.
It buzzed again. Then again.
“You can get that if you need to,” Kivani said.
“It’s fine. Probably just spam.” But Dakota’s stomach was already knotting up because he knew it wasn't spam. He pulled out his phone and saw Bennett’s name lighting up the screen.
The phone rang in his hand. Kivani was watching him, waiting, and Dakota knew he couldn’t just let it ring. Not without seeming weird about it. He swiped to answer and held the phone to his ear.
“Hello?”
“Dakota.” Bennett’s voice was too smooth, too familiar in a way that grated on Dakota’s nerves. He could hear music in the background and the sound of other people talking. “I’ve been trying to reach you for days.”
“I’ve been busy.” Dakota kept his voice flat, his eyes fixed on his plate.
“Look, I know you’re mad, but we need to talk about this. You can’t just disappear and expect everything to be fine.”
“I’m not expecting anything.” Dakota’s hand tightened around the phone. Across from him, Kivani had stopped eating and was looking at his fries like they were suddenly fascinating. “I told you we were done.”
“Baby, come on. We can work this out. Whatever I did, I’ll fix it.”
“You can’t fix it, Bennett.” Dakota’s tone was harsh. A couple in the next booth glanced over. He lowered his voice and turned slightly away from Kivani. “It’s over. I’m not coming back.”
“Where are you? Just tell me where you are, and I’ll come get you. We’ll talk about this like adults.”
“No.” Dakota felt his throat getting tight, his breathing shallow. “Stop calling me. I mean it. We’re done.”
“Dakota—”
He hung up and set the phone face-down on the table, his hands trembling slightly. He picked up his fork and stabbed at his salad, trying to pretend like nothing had happened.
Kivani was eating again, his attention focused on his burger. He didn’t ask who had called. He didn’t say anything at all. But there was no way he hadn't heard at least Dakota’s side of the conversation. The silence stretched between them, and Dakota’s face burned.
“So…” Dakota said, his voice too bright. “You said people don’t ask questions here. Is that like a town rule or something?”
Kivani looked up, and his expression was gentle. “More like common courtesy. Everyone’s got their stuff.”
“Right. Yeah.” He gave up on the salad and pushed it to the side. “That’s good.”
“You want some fries?” Kivani pushed his plate toward the middle of the table. “I always order too many.”
Grateful for the olive branch, Dakota took a fry. It was hot and salty and so damn good. He ate another one then another.
“So why did you really move here?” Kivani asked. His tone was casual, but the question had weight.
“I told you. Fresh start.”
“Yeah, but fresh start from what?”
Dakota ate another fry, buying himself time as Kivani studied him. “Just needed to get away from some stuff. Bad situation. Bad people. The usual.”
“The usual,” Kivani repeated, like he was tasting the words. “That’s pretty vague.”
“I’m a pretty vague person.” Dakota tried for a smile. “Mystery and intrigue, you know?”
“Uh-huh.” Kivani didn’t push, but something in his expression said he understood more than Dakota was saying. “Well, for what it’s worth, I’m glad you ended up here.”
Dakota’s heart did that fluttering thing again. He looked down at the fries, at his abandoned salad, anywhere but at Kivani’s face. “Thanks. Me too. I think.”
They finished eating in comfortable quiet, and when Jace brought the check, Kivani grabbed it before Dakota could reach for it.
“I invited you,” Kivani said. “My treat.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I know I don’t have to. I want to.” Kivani pulled out his wallet and left cash on the table. “Come on.”
Outside, the temperature had dropped further. Dakota’s breath came out in small clouds, and he stuffed his hands in his pockets. They walked back toward the taffy shop, their footsteps echoing on the empty sidewalk.
They reached the building too quickly. Kivani held the door open, and Dakota slipped past him into the hallway. The taffy shop was dark, closed for the night. Their footsteps echoed on the stairs.
At Dakota’s door, they both stopped. Dakota pulled out his keys and turned them over in his hands. “Thanks for dinner.”
“Anytime.” Kivani had his hands in his pockets, shoulders relaxed. “And hey, if that guy keeps bothering you, let me know.”
“What, you’ll beat him up for me?” Dakota tried to make it sound teasing, but it came out too soft.
“I was thinking more like we could block his number. But I’m flexible.”
Dakota laughed despite himself. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Good.” Kivani took a step back. “See you around, Dakota.”
“Yeah. See you.” He let himself into his apartment and leaned against the closed door, his hands still shaking slightly.
The apartment felt too quiet. He kicked off his shoes and went to the window, looking out at the dark street below. A couple walked past, holding hands. The bookstore next to the diner was still lit up, someone moving around inside.
He thought about Kivani’s smile across the table. The way he’d eaten his burger without any self-consciousness, sauce on his fingers and complete comfort in his own skin. The way he’d given Dakota space after that phone call, hadn’t pried or pushed or demanded explanations.
Pressing his forehead against the cool glass, he prayed Bennett left him alone.